Friction-clutch.



N0. 698,||2. Patented Apr; 22, I902.-

v J. HALL.

"FBICTION CLUTCH.

(Application nlea'se m-m, 1991 7 (No Model.)

WITNESSES. INVENTORY.

Patented Apr. 22, I902.- J. HALL. I 7' FRICTION CLUTCH.

(Applicatioxi filed Sept. 10, 1901.)

7 sheets-sheet 4. I

" =(No Model.)

No. 698,II2 Patented A r. 22,- I902..] J. HALL. FRICTION CLUTCH.

(Applicatioi1 Sept. 10, 1901.) H (No Model.) -7 Sheets-Shoat 5.-

, WITNESSES. H INVENTOR'. 'QYMHM W A 44 Patented. Apr. 22, I902.

,1. HALL.- FBICTION CLUTCH.

(Application filed Sept. 10, 1901.)

7 Shea ts-Sheot 6.

(lo Model.)

WITNESSES,-

mguomm wzrzns 0a.. PHOTO-LING. wAsnmcmu', my;

No.'698,l|2 Pa tented Apr; 22*, I902.

, 5 J. HALL.

FRICTION cLuTcH; A nmm filed Sept.1 0, 1901.) v (No mm.) v {Shaet-Shat 7.

WITNESSES. m

} INVENTOR.

ATENT Prion;

JAMES HALL, OF RADOLIFFE, ENGLAND.

FRICTION- CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters: Patent No. 698,112, dated April 22, 1902. Application filed September 10, 1901. Serial No. 74,947. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES HALL, engineer,

a British subject, and a resident of Radcliffe in the county of Lancaster, England, have in-f vented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutches, of which the following. is a specification.

This invention relates to friction-clutches, and is designed to materially increase the efficiency and at the same time reduce the' size of such apparatus.

In clutches as at present generally constructed power is transmitted by means of pressure exerted on either the inside or-outside of a flange, and such clutches as they wear lose their power of grip and efiiciency. With this invention, on the other hand, the friction-surface and the efficiency increase as the clutch is used. v

The invention will bede'scribed with reference to the-accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a transverse section of one form of the clutch; Fig.2, a transverse section of another form of clutch constructed totransmit medium powers; Fig. 3,' a side elevation of same; Fig. 4, a section on line X X, Fig. 2; Figs. 5 and 6, details showing alternate friction-disks used in clutch; Fig. 7, a front elevation, partly in section,-showing clutch as constructed to transmit large powers; Fig. 8, a side elevation of same; Figs. 9 and 10, details of mechanism for throwing the disks into friction contact; Fig. 11, an elevation, partly in section, showing the clutch applied to a motor-vehicle. 1

Upon'the shaft at are fitted a number of metallic disks 1), capable of sliding'longitudinally of the shaft, but locked to it by a keycorrugated sleeve or otherwise to rotate withv it, also a number of friction-disks f, placed between the metallic disks 1), loose on the shaft or and free to move longitudinally and rotate thereon. Incasing the disks 1) and f is, a sheath d, looseoon the shaft to rotate thereon, but without longitudinal movement internally. The sheath cl is locked to the frictiondisks f, so that both rotate together,while the disks are capable of being moved longitudinally inside the sheath. Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the disks 5 are shown locked to the shaft a by means of a feather-key e,

having at either end collars or washers 0, re-

cessedto take the ends of the feather-key e,

so that when the shaft rotates the collars will rotate with it. These collars are provided to prevent lateral movement of the clutch, the

sheath d of which is mounted loose upon the shaft a, with its sides against the said collars c.- The sheath is preferably made solid to maintain the clutch dust-proof; but this is not necessary where lightness is specially required. In Figs. 2,3, 4, 7, 8, and 11 the disks b are shown locked to the shaft (1 by means of a solid sleeve or boss 13, firmly keyed to the shaft on andhaving a grooved or fluted surface, the disks b (see Fig. 6) being formed with a corresponding central opening, so as to engage therewith. The sleeve 19 also prevents any longitudinal motion of the sheath cl. The friction-disks f (see Fig. 5) are locked to and caused to rotate'with the sheath d by projec- 7 ,tions g, formed on their periphery, which enter and engagesimilar recesses formed in the interior circumference of the sheath. Both series of disks 1) and f are preferably made with perforations 0 to allow of the free passage of air.

.For exerting the necessary pressure upon the disks to throw them into frictional contact a ring j is provided capable of longitu -dinal motion in the sheath, to which are attached adjustable studs 70, projecting outward through holes formed in the sheath. When .these adjustable studs are pressed up from outside, the disks 1) and f and the side of the sheath d are pressed into contact against one another, and any rotary movement imparted to the sheath d is transmitted through the disks) and the disks 1) by their frictional contact to the shaft a, or vice versa. Pressure may be exerted on the adjustable studs is by any suitable mechanical means. The draw.- ings show a sliding sleeve Z,'which may be actuated bya leverin the usual way, the lateral motion of which actuates a system of levers m to press against the adjustable studs It.

When large powers are to be transmitted, a more certain and powerful method of striking the friction-contact between the disks is required, and for this purpose the mechanism shown in Figs. 7 to 10 has been designed. To

the sliding sleeve l is pivoted a connecting- I rod 9, which actuates a lever or crank s, keyed or otherwise attached to the spindle 2?. Upon the spindle t is mounted a bevel-wheel u, gearing with a second bevel-wheel u, securely attached to or made in one piece with the nut :11 and held in position by the washer 1 As the not w is rotated, the screw .2, passing through it, which is prevented from rotating by means of the square head 1 fitting into a similar-shaped hole in the ring j, is caused to move inward or outward,as the case may he, to throw the clutch into or out of gear. The levers 5 instead of being keyed to the spindle i may be formed with internal teeth 2, engaging corresponding teeth formed on the ends of the spindle, so that should any Wear take place in the clutch it will only be necessary to unscrew the nuts 3 and move the levers on two or three teeth to overtake any such wear. The sleeve 71, cast with the sheath is provided to. carry a pulley gearwheel orthe like for transmitting power to or from the clutch, or these may be mounted on the circumference of the clutch itself.

In Fig. 11 the clutch is shown applied to a motor-vehicle to form a two-speed gear. The chain-wheel 4 conveys the power to the counter-shaft 5, upon which are mounted two of the clutches, one of which, 6, carries the lowgear wheel 8,and the other, 7, carries the highgear wheel 0.

longitudinally thereon: the friction-disks f with projections g to engage corresponding recesses in the sheath (Z and arranged alternately with the disks Z) the ring the screw to force the ringj against the disks b andf 5 to bring them into frictional contact, the bevel-wheel w and nut 00 to reciprocate the screw the collar 1 to secure them in position the spindle and bevel-wheel u to gear with the bevel-wheel w, the levers s with internal teeth 2 engaging similar teeth on the spindle t to rotate it, the nuts to hold the levers s in position, the connecting-rods 1' and sliding sleeve 1 to actuate the lovers 5 substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES HALL. \Vitnesses:

J. OWjDEN-OBRIEN, B. TATHAM Woo'nHnAn. 

